• Search our Blog
  • Desert
  • Festivals and moussems
  • Casablanca
  • Ouarzazate
  • Tazarine
  • Marrakech

• Previous newsletters
  • Number one (that's here !)

Cheaper travel to Morocco : low-cost companies arrive !

Morocco has finally signed the « open sky » agreement with Europe. « Open sky » means no more quota, whether regarding nationality, frequency or origin for air companies. It allows European companies to sell ticket in Morocco as well as in Europe.
That’s the end of the more expensive travel when flying from Europe, with differences over 150 euro for the same ticket sold by Royal Air Maroc, in Europe or in Morocco.

The first low-cost is Easy-Jet that establishes, from the 4th July on, a daily London-Marrakech, for less than 40 euros… well at least when you book in advance ! Other companies, like Air France, Lufthansa and British Airways will have to follow. And Royal Air Maroc, through its own low-cost company, Atlas-Blue, also offers many cheap flights.

Behind Easy-Jet, one can be sure to see soon Ryanair. Cheaper liaisons exist also from Brussels…

To catch the best prices, you have to spend long hours on Internet, check the concentrators (sites offering prices comparisons, or travel agencies portals) as well as each company site. Prices differences for the same flight (same company, same date) can amount up to 20%, without any understandable logic.

And with a small time and effort, and by booking really early, it is now possible to come to Morocco for really good prices…. And therefore come more often.

Ramadan will start around 29th of September. It is the very holy month, the month of fasting and charity. This is a very special time in Morocco, where all Muslims fast for sunrise to sunset. Working time are modified, and the break of the fast in a sacred time when everything stops smokers have their first cigarette of the day, and everyone gathers around the breakfast. The meal traditionally starts with dates and sour milk, with pastries, eggs, coffee, tea, and msamem, a delicious pancake.

That’s the only time of the day where every shop is closed ! Later on in the evening, a second meal happens, around midnight, and possibly, depending on one’s habits, a last one, very early, before sunrise.

During Ramadan, life goes on, and tourists also. If nearly everything looks normal in the large cities, in the small southern villages, it is difficult to find anything else than an omelette during the day. The waiter will bring it to you on a lonely table before leaving you alone very quickly, not to suffer from temptation. After a few days, you’ll start to fast also, at least partially…. Because every evening, you are invited to share breakfast, and you realize very quickly you have to diminish the amount of food you eat in the day !

Of course, moussems and celebrations are postponed to the end of Ramadan. That’s specially important this year, as many of these moussems take place after the harvests, like Dates’ moussem in Erfoud, oranges’ feast in Berkane, near Oujda, or the religious moussem of zawiya Sidi Salah

If you intend to travel at this time of the year, take that into account when making your plans, the festivals will surely be postponed to the first week-end of November. Ramadan has also it’s charm, with its very special atmosphere, and its daily celebration after sunset.

We have started a new activity, consistent with our approach of ethical tourism. For one item, transportation costs don’t justify the price difference between Morocco and Europe, far from it. Transportation costs than we can diminish thanks to our many travels. We have decided, with some cooperatives and craftsmen to bring their products in Europe, and offer them directly to you, on the Internet. Lower transportation costs, lower distribution costs, lower final price for you, and higher selling price for the cooperatives, everyone can profit from it.
The Oasis is their window, their display, and a storage to ship directly in Europe.

We offer saffron from the Souktana Cooperative in Taliouine, and with jewellers in Tiznit.

To know more about saffron
See the recipes

At the very heart of the High Atlas, a few kilometre south of Marrakech, in the Neffis valley, one can suddenly believe he was transported in the Cathare country. In a steep valley, three rocky pits, first a kasbah, then a mosque, an ascetic building of red bricks that disappear in the landscape, and finally, further away, another kasbah. This could be Peyrepertuse or Queribus. But this is Tan Mel, the mosque where the Mahdi, Ibn Toumert, is buried. Ibn Toumert came back from his pilgrimage to Mecca convinced that it was time to reform Almoravids. In his Tan Mel stronghold, he successfully fought them, and his successor, Abd al-Moumen ben Ali finally entered Marrakech and chased the old dynasty.

Later on, Tan Mel slipped into oblivion and became ruins. It is now renovated. A little bit away from tourist highways, this wonderful building has a very simple architecture that fits perfectly the hard grandeur of its surroundings mountains.